Introduced Version
House Bill 3147 History
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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 3147
(By Delegates Ellington and Shott)
[Introduced
March 25, 2013
; referred to the
Committee on Health and Human Resources then Finance.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-7f; to amend
said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §9-5-22;
and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section,
designated §33-16-3w, all relating to requiring health
insurance coverage for eosinophilic disorders; requiring the
Public Employees Insurance Agency to provide coverage for
eosinophilic disorders
; requiring group accident and sickness
insurance to provide coverage for eosinophilic disorders;
and
requiring the state Medicaid program to provide coverage for
eosinophilic disorders.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-7f; that said
code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §9-5-22; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated §33-16-3w, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 5. GENERAL POWERS AND AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNOR,
SECRETARY OF STATE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL; BOARD
OF PUBLIC WORKS; MISCELLANEOUS AGENCIES, COMMISSIONS,
OFFICES, PROGRAMS, ETC.
ARTICLE 16. WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES INSURANCE ACT.
§5-16-7f. Required coverage for eosinophilic disorders.
__________(a) The agency shall provide coverage for the diagnosis and
treatment of eosinophilic disorders. To the extent that the
diagnosis of eosinophilic disorders and the treatment of
eosinophilic disorders are not already covered by the agency,
coverage under this section shall be included in health insurance
policies that are delivered, executed, issued, amended, adjusted or
renewed in this state, or outside this state if insuring residents
of this state, on or after the effective date of the enactment of
this section during the 2013 regular session of the Legislature.
The agency may not terminate coverage or refuse to deliver,
execute, issue, amend, adjust or renew coverage to an individual
solely because the individual is diagnosed with one of the
eosinophilic disorders, has received treatment for eosinophilic
disorders or is at risk for a diagnosis of eosinophilic disorders.
__________(b) Eosinophilic disorders occur when eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, are found in above-normal amounts in various
parts of the body. When the body wants to attack a substance, such
as an allergy-triggering food or airborne allergen, eosinophils
respond by moving into the area and releasing a variety of toxins.
However, when the body produces too many eosinophils, they can
cause chronic inflammation, resulting in tissue damage. These rare
diseases are diagnosed according to where the elevated levels of
eosinophils are found and include:
__________(1) Eosinophilic esophagitis (esophagus);
__________(2) Eosinophilic gastritis (stomach);
__________(3) Eosinophilic enteritis (small intestine);
__________(4) Eosinophilic colitis (large intestine); and
__________(5) Hypereosinophilic syndrome (blood and any organ).
__________
CHAPTER 9. HUMAN SERVICES.
ARTICLE 5. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
§9-5-22. Medicaid; required coverage for eosinophilic disorders.
_____(a) The Department of Health and Human Resources shall provide
coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic disorders
to enrollees in the Medicaid program. To the extent that the
diagnosis of eosinophilic disorders and the treatment of
eosinophilic disorders are not already covered by the agency,
coverage under this section shall be included in health insurance
policies that are delivered, executed, issued, amended, adjusted or renewed in this state, or outside this state if insuring residents
of this state, on or after the effective date of the enactment of
this section during the 2013 regular session of the Legislature.
The agency may not terminate coverage, or refuse to deliver,
execute, issue, amend, adjust or renew coverage to an individual
solely because the individual is diagnosed with one of the
eosinophilic disorders, has received treatment for eosinophilic
disorders, or is at risk for a diagnosis of eosinophilic disorders.
_____(b) Eosinophilic disorders occur when eosinophils, a type of
white blood cell, are found in above-normal amounts in various
parts of the body. When the body wants to attack a substance, such
as an allergy-triggering food or airborne allergen, eosinophils
respond by moving into the area and releasing a variety of toxins.
However, when the body produces too many eosinophils, they can
cause chronic inflammation, resulting in tissue damage. These rare
diseases are diagnosed according to where the elevated levels of
eosinophils are found and include:
_____(1) Eosinophilic esophagitis (esophagus);
_____(2) Eosinophilic gastritis (stomach);
_____(3) Eosinophilic enteritis (small intestine);
_____(4) Eosinophilic colitis (large intestine); and
_____(5) Hypereosinophilic syndrome (blood and any organ).
CHAPTER 33. INSURANCE.
ARTICLE 16. GROUP ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE.
§33-16-3w. Requirements for coverage of eosinophilic disorders.
_____(a) A health insurance policy issued pursuant to the
provisions of this chapter, except supplemental health insurance,
shall provide coverage for the diagnosis of and treatment of
eosinophilic disorders. To the extent that the diagnosis of
eosinophilic disorders and the treatment of eosinophilic disorders
are not already covered by a health insurance policy, coverage
under this section will be included in health insurance policies
that are delivered, executed, issued, amended, adjusted or renewed
in this state, or outside this state if insuring residents of this
state, on or after sixty days from the effective date of this
section. No insurer may terminate coverage, or refuse to deliver,
execute, issue, amend, adjust or renew coverage to an individual
solely because the individual is diagnosed with one of the
eosinophilic disorders or has received treatment for eosinophilic
disorders.
_____(b) Eosinophilic disorders occur when eosinophils, a type of
white blood cell, are found in above-normal amounts in various
parts of the body. When the body wants to attack a substance, such
as an allergy-triggering food or airborne allergen, eosinophils
respond by moving into the area and releasing a variety of toxins.
However, when the body produces too many eosinophils, they can
cause chronic inflammation, resulting in tissue damage. These rare
diseases are diagnosed according to where the elevated levels of eosinophils are found and include:
_____(1) Eosinophilic esophagitis (esophagus);
_____(2) Eosinophilic gastritis (stomach);
_____(3) Eosinophilic enteritis (small intestine);
_____(4) Eosinophilic colitis (large intestine); and
_____(5) Hypereosinophilic syndrome (blood and any organ).
_____NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Public
Employees Insurance Agency, group accident and sickness insurance
and the state Medicaid program to provide coverage for eosinophilic
disorders.
These sections are new; therefore, they have been completely
underscored.